Nagaland pushes for stakeholder talks on oil palm cultivation

Dimapur, Dec 20: The Nagaland Agricultural Department has endorsed the need for broad-based consultations with stakeholders on oil palm cultivation in the State to ensure transparent public engagement and critical deliberations.

Adviser to the Agriculture Department, Mhathung Yanthan, issued a press release in this regard following concerns raised by the Nagaland Community Conserved Areas Forum and other individuals and organisations regarding oil palm cultivation.

Appreciating their commitment to safeguarding Nagaland's ecological and social integrity, he said their suggestions for fostering a transparent and informed dialogue on the long-term implications of oil palm cultivation were highly valued. He added that the process would address the long-term environmental impact of not only oil palm cultivation but also other plantation and field crops, including biodiversity conservation and water security.

Yanthan revealed that the State Government has been promoting palm oil cultivation under the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), recognising its potential for economic uplift of farmers, improving rural livelihoods, and boosting the State's agricultural economy.

However, he added that such initiatives must be pursued with sensitivity to the unique socio-environmental landscape of the State.

Yanthan also stressed that the concerns raised would require a holistic, participatory, and evidence-based approach taking into account the perspectives of farmers, environmental experts, civil society organisations, and local com- munities. He asserted that any developmental intervention must adhere to the principles of sustainability, inclusiveness, and ecological balance.

He pointed out that the Agriculture Department introduced oil palm cultivation in Nagaland in 2015-16 after a study of its economic, social, and environmental impact, with a target of covering approximately 15,000 hectares in the jhum fallow areas.